Arkea Ultim Challenge: Speed, speed and a low in sight - "Like a three-day race"
Tatjana Pokorny
· 09.01.2024
Just 27 nautical miles separated the first five of the six Ultim giants on their course south on Tuesday morning. The pace had hardly slackened throughout Monday, even though the giant foilers crossed a low-pressure area with very irregular winds in the early stages of the Arkea Ultim Challenge.
While outsider Eric Péron dropped back significantly with "Adagio", the leading group of five was able to keep up the pace overnight. The task now is to sail around a low-wind zone before the skippers can concentrate on overcoming the low pressure late Wednesday afternoon.
We have the impression that we are taking part in a three-day race, even though we are sailing around the world" (Anthony Marchand)
Breathless, the race continues towards the equator at 35 degrees north. The race has the intensity of a three-day Figaro stage. "We are still surprised at the pace since yesterday," said race director Guillaume Rottée. The riders confirm this impression. "Acutal Ultim 3" skipper Anthony Marchand said: "We have the impression that we are taking part in a three-day race, even though we are doing a round-the-world race."
After the low-pressure passage the day before, where the Ultim tamers had to deal with very irregular winds at this historic premiere of the Arkea Ultim Challenge, the pressure returned on Tuesday night. Éric Péron's gap to "Adagio" grew considerably. The first five boats, on the other hand, are competing for the best positions in a gybe series.
The opening of the Arkea Ultim Challenge: don't fall into the doldrums trap ...
"They are currently trying to avoid a high-pressure bubble in the west," explained Guillaume Rottée. "The idea is to stay on the edge of the bubble, not to go too far west so as not to get into a windless zone ... That forces them to manoeuvre a bit." The task is comparable to putting together a complicated jigsaw puzzle.
Every decision can have a big impact, especially as the gaps between the leading boats are so small. On the morning of 9 January, "Maxi Edmond de Rothschild" was leading by almost eight nautical miles ahead of "Actual Ultim 3" at around 11 a.m., with Anthony Marchand putting up a surprisingly good fight against the new boats at this early stage with the former "Macif" from 2015.
It was followed on Tuesday morning by the light-footed "SVR Lazartige" with Tom Laperche, just under eight nautical miles behind Gitana frontman Charles Caudrelier, then Thomas Coville's "Sodebo Ultim 3" and Armel Le Cléac'h on "Banque Populaire XI", 27 nautical miles behind.
From the third day onwards, the aim is to cope with the approaching low-pressure area as best as possible. The depression is travelling very far south, as far as the Cape Verde Islands. Guillaume Rottee explains: "From Wednesday evening, things will become more difficult with the passage of a front, winds of around 40 knots and waves of four to six metres. Everyone in the routing centres is busy determining the best options. The routers are working on the dossiers. They all know that they have to maximise every little wind shift to make up a few miles on the others..."
So far, it's a nice race where you overtake each other" (Armel Le Cléac'h)
The chess game on the "board of the world's oceans" has long since begun with these tasks. At sea, two days after the start, "Banque Populaire XI" skipper Armel Le Cléac'h took stock of the historic race in its initial phase: "It's been a positive balance since the start. We had a good show, no technical problems. So far, it's a nice race where you overtake each other."
The solo race around the world has got off to a good start. Armel Le Cléac'h said: "It's a good race when you get in each other's way. There were a lot of gybes, sail changes and it's quite fast. The rhythm doesn't let up. We are all starting to find our feet. It's important not to get left behind. It's not impossible that it (Red.: depending on the winds) restarts in the race. You have to be well positioned to capitalise on that."
The routines kick in and things don't go badly. That helps to overcome the emotions of the start" (Armel Le Céac'h)
The Ultim challengers are having to deal with rather unusual wind conditions these days. Armel Le Cléac'h explains: "The trade winds are not in position at all, there is a large area of low pressure coming ... It's getting complicated, we're going step by step. We are working intensively with the routing in Lorient. I feel better and better on board. Emotions keep coming up because we haven't set off for training. But the routines are kicking in and it's not going badly. That helps to overcome the emotions of the start."
Éric Péron reported his first race impressions from the back of the fleet: "My first hours in the race went well. It wasn't too demanding, but there was a lot of manoeuvring. The first night I was a bit stressed because of the cargo ships, especially as I had a small problem with my computer. Yesterday we had to deal with a small, not so easy rain front and a somewhat ungracious sea."
I'm a bit left behind and can't keep up with this pace" (Éric Peyron)
Éric Péron, who sails Thomas Coville's former "Sodebo Ultim", whose hull is based on Olivier de Kersauson's 22-year-old "Geronimo", also reported: "At the moment, the five competitors at the front are very close together. I'm a bit behind and can't keep up at this pace. But I'm trying to do everything right. But you think twice before you change a sail or carry out a manoeuvre. The effort is considerable every time and you have to take it easy to keep up the pace."
The coming low is a small chunk that I don't like so much" (Éric Péron)
The 42-year-old from Quimper said: "It's pretty stable at the moment, I'll try to eat and sleep. A sail will probably be set in the next few hours. The coming low is a small chunk that I'm not too fond of, especially because of the swell we're expecting. The winds are still mild, but we're already starting to feel it. We will do our best to find a course that suits us."
